English 434
Dr. Desmet
Spring 1997
Two of the dominant metaphors for human relations in this play are:
Alchemy, as a symbol, suggests that real and wonderful transformations are possible and that iron and copper can be made into gold. The symbolism associated with counterfeiting, by contrast, suggests that the effort to make base metals into gold, on both the literal and symbolic levels, is a sham. The question is: can the "alchemy" of human relations transform people? Can they be made better or do their interactions show that they are "counterfeits," more debased than they appear to be?
More specifically, Subtle's long speech of praise to alchemy (2.3.142-77) suggests that through "alchemy," metals can be made more perfect than they are in nature. At 3.2.148 Ananias and Tribulation Worthy worry about whether their desire to make gold coins through alchemy is legal. In point of fact, such a practice, whether of domestic or foreign coins, was not. Counterfeiting therefore means producing a false coin, one that is worth not more, but far less, than it seems to be worth.
Use these two metaphors to analyze the principal characters of The Alchemist. To reiterate the question: can the "alchemy" of human relations transform people? Can they be made better or do their interactions show that they are "counterfeits," more debased than they appear to be?